Cause of Death: Forensic Files of a Medical Examiner

Forensics is my passion (as I am studying to be a medical examiner) and I would recommend reading this book. The authors are very well educated and informative with their creativity and writing. This has been a most wonderful reading and would definitely state that anyone interested in forensics (even if your not going into it career wise) check out this book.

CAUSE OF DEATH: FORENSIC FILES OF A MEDICAL EXAMINER isn't just for college-level students of forensic medicine: it's a pick for any interested in forensic investigations, which will include many a legal reference collection as well as public library patrons. Chapters from a veteran medical examiner and forensic pathologist document the case histories and real-life challenges of autopsies, pairing detailed autopsy notes with insights on victims, murder methods and more. Perfect not only for health libraries but for law libraries and general-interest collections.

Never having watched CSI, I was curious about why the daily goings-on of a medical examiner would merit a book. I did not have to read far to realize that this was fascinating stuff! Cause of Death demystifies what happens behind doors that no one ever wants to go through, but all enevitably will. Dr. Cohle and Mr. Buhk allow the reader to see and smell the county morgue from an "over-the-shoulder" view. The authors present a perspective that preserves the sanctity of life, but damns some of life's behaviors and actions. The book does not sensationalize the macabre and sometimes horrible circumstances and details of death; it does reveal the bizarre, the terrible, and sometimes humorously ironic details that man (and woman)does to himself or others. The writing style of the book allows the reader to learn more about individual victim cases. The reader can go along for the victim's last car ride all the way to the victim's last gurney ride; The reader can get a taste of the victim's last choice of poisen or the authors' last choice of music; the reader can experience how interminably long ten seconds is when a baby is being shaken by an angry father; and the reader can sense that the cause of death is not a television show to be wrapped up during a sixty minute time slot. Great read!